Wheater transfer to be considered

Middlesbrough are prepared to sell David Wheater in the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson set to be considering a bid.

Boro have previously resisted selling the youth academy product - even when they were relegated from the Premier League last year.

But with the team struggling at the foot of the Championship and showing no signs of a recovery, chairman Steve Gibson is now prepared to cash in on the £8million-rated centre back.

Reds manager Hodgson has been tracking Wheater since Boro dropped down to the second tier and is known to have made a bid for the versatile stopper last summer while at Fulham.

And the Anfield supremo believes the 23-year-old can, in time, grow into one of England's best defenders.

In the short term, Wheater could fill in as a right-back - a position he A number of other clubs are also likely to bid for Wheater, with Stoke City, West Ham and Everton all said to be interested.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.